Attorney: Ryan investigation will not exceed $10,000 in fees

Voelkner has advised council on removal proceedings

Dec. 20, 2011

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Attorney Joseph Voelkner said Tuesday he will not charge the city more than $10,000 for his work during the investigation into Mayor Bob Ryan.

Voelkner was hired in September to advise the council during the removal proceedings, with $10,000 initially approved in payment. At Monday's Common Council meeting, Ryan argued the council would have to set aside additional money if it continued the removal proceedings.

The mayor also accused Voelkner of billing for work done before he was appointed and described Voelkner as "the lawyer who wrote this innuendo-filled garbage," referencing the council resolution authored by Voelkner. The resolution details the investigation by former U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic that uncovered an array of alleged misconduct and sparked a criminal sexual assault investigation.

Biskupic has agreed to work for free, and Voelkner said Tuesday he will not bill the city beyond the $10,000 already allotted, even though it means being paid less than half his normal rate.

Voelkner said he will stand by that number even though there was no formal agreement to cap his bill.

"They allocated an appropriate amount, and we're going to do the appropriate thing and bill to what's allocated," Voelkner said. "I'm sensitive to the fact the city has fiscal considerations, and paying lawyers in this particular situation is not something that the city would probably want to do if given the choice."

Voelkner said he was hired Sept. 14 and sent his first bill Sept. 30 for services rendered from Sept. 13 to Sept. 29.

Ryan said $1,700 of that bill was not paid because it was for services rendered before Voelkner was formally hired, and Voelkner's numbers match that. He said he billed the city for $5,827.50 and was paid $4,071.

Ryan in his comments to council said Voelkner had not billed the city for work in November or December "because we have used up the $10,000. This council would have to vote with a two-thirds majority to allocate more money for that lawyer to continue on."

Voelkner said the bill for that work is still being audited, but estimated he and his firm have spent about 95 hours total on Ryan's case, which with a $10,000 maximum means an hourly rate so far of $105. He said his standard rate is $225 per hour.

Voelkner strongly objected to Ryan questioning his integrity.

"I consider myself to be very honorable, and when I say I'm going to a job I do it, and I do it for the way I say I'm going to do it," he said. "To suggest that we've billed for time we didn't earn I think is inappropriate. We earned it."